Draft Grades from the Sidelines

By Sarah McVeigh

[Dramatic NFL Draft Chime] And with the first pick of the 2025 NFL Draft…

It’s that time of year again! Last weekend, the best college football players got drafted to the NFL.

I absolutely love watching the draft. There is something so nerve-racking, exciting, and glamorous about the whole event. It’s like watching the Olympics, you’re witnessing someone’s dream come true!

First, I like seeing where the players are located during the draft. Some players go to the venue, which this year was in Green Bay, Wisconsin, just outside of Lambeau Field.

Those who went in person got their own fake living room to sit in and wait, like a furniture store showroom. The guys who attend in person are the best of the best, or at least the most hyped. This year’s number one pick was Cam Ward, QB out of Miami. And let me tell you… Cam gave us nothing. A couple of tears, maybe. But c’mon—you’re the first pick in the 2025 NFL Draft! Give me something—a dance, a scream, a mom-crying moment!

The players in attendance are always dressed to the nines. They are wearing custom designer suits and insane jewelry. The number of diamonds in that room was just sickening. You can see where all that college NIL money really went. I mean, where else would you see Swarovski diamond Crocs? (Hopefully nowhere because it’s disgusting.) Chains, tennis bracelets, grills, even gold-plated initial brooches—every accessory imaginable was on display.

Then there are the other players watching from home, balancing a phone call from an NFL GM while auntie is screaming in the background. You can tell who came from old Southern money, West Coast modesty, and the Midwest middle class. I love getting a look into their lives … and living rooms. Some families are calm, treating it like a regular Tuesday night. Others? Full-blown parties. Mykel Williams, a defensive lineman taken 11th overall, had his house packed from the kitchen to the staircase.

The most interesting part for me is the GIRLFRIENDS.

I’m obsessed with watching these soon-to-be millionaires holding hands with their fabulous (hopefully) girlfriends. And you can always tell what the story is.

There are the high school sweethearts. Think Patrick and Brittany Mahomes, Trevor and Marissa Lawrence. These girls saw potential in the weird-looking jock and now they live lives we can only dream about.

Then there are the girlfriends that won’t make it past preseason. The moment their man is on national TV, their DMs will explode—and that relationship will disappear.

And of course, there are the ones who look like they put in work to get their fake booties on that couch. They fought with momma during the commercial break for a spot next to the star. She’s holding onto her man’s hand for dear life, like he is going to fly away. She might’ve dated three other players before landing the one most likely to go pro. She’s not in love with the player—she’s in love with the contract. But hey, she’ll be fine. She’ll end up with someone in a jersey.

The best part of the draft? To see the small percentage of guys who just beat all odds. They refused to become a statistic. The one with no NFL dad, no elite high school, no private training. Just hard work. They looked around at their life and decided to change the pattern. The ones sitting next to their mom, tears streaming, knowing they just changed their family’s future. Maybe it’s the social worker in me but it gives me chills. That’s powerful stuff.

So, since everyone’s asking, here are my key takeaways from this year’s NFL draft: Cam Skattebo, running back from ASU, is now a NY Giant!! Maxwell Hairston, a cornerback from the University of Kentucky, gave every draftee picked before him a handshake and hug on their way to see the commissioner. He was genuinely happy for everyone, good vibes. He went 30th to the Bills. Shedeur Sanders? Proof that attitude can kill talent. He should’ve gone in the first round, but after acting like an arrogant A-hole in meetings, he fell to pick 144. And even then, he still came off like a diva.

No matter where they came from, how they performed in college, or what their combine stats were—they made it. We just watched 257 young men’s dreams come true. They are the next generation of stars.

Hopefully your team got the player it needed, and for your sake, I hope it’s not Sanders. Let’s get these boys out of the hot pink suits, onto the field and ready for preseason.